Thousands of Atlantic Salmon Recovered as Clean-up Continues

— from KOMO News —

KOMO Photo

Thousands of farmed Atlantic salmon have been pulled from Puget Sound as the clean-up of a collapsed fish farm continues in the waters off the San Juan Islands.

Cooke Aquaculture, which owns and operates the fish farm just off the island of Cypress, has now removed 120,000 farmed Atlantic salmon from the net pens that 10 days ago held more 300,000 fish.

“We are getting closer to containment of the actual fish still contained within the net structure and Cooke Aquaculture is today attempting to get nets out of the water,” said Cori Simmons, public information officer for the state’s multiagency response team who is overseeing and coordinating the containment and recovery.

Anglers are helping, too, after the state asked recreational and tribal fisherman help catch the thousands of farmed fish that escaped the pen nine days ago.

“We heard various report about fish being collected outside by recreational fisherman and tribes, and that’s why it’s so important that people report these catches thru DFW’s website,” said Simmons.

The Lummi Nation said Monday its fishermen have caught an estimated 20,000 of the escaped Atlantic salmon.